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Scrum Framework (built on Agile manifesto)

Scrum (an Agile development framework) is a popular modern project management methodology based on an iterative and incremental approach that allows teams to quickly adapt to changes in requirements and environment. The key concepts of Scrum include:

Sprint

One of the core concepts in Scrum is the Sprint -- a fixed time interval (usually 2-4 weeks) during which the team works on implementing specific tasks.

Team and Roles

The picture also shows the Scrum team, which should be cross-functional and consist of:

  • Scrum Master -- a specialist responsible for implementing the Scrum methodology, removing impediments, and supporting the team.
  • Product Owner -- the customer's representative who defines the requirements and priorities for the product.
  • Development Team -- the core working unit in Scrum, consisting of specialists responsible for building the product (developers, testers, etc.).

Ceremonies

Ceremonies (or events) are regular team meetings aimed at effective planning, execution, and evaluation of the team's work during a sprint:

  • Sprint Planning. A meeting where the team decides which features should be implemented in the current sprint. The Product Owner defines priorities, and the team estimates how much time is needed to implement each feature.

  • Daily Scrum. A short daily meeting where each team member answers three key questions:

  • What did I do yesterday?

  • What am I planning to do today?
  • Do I have any impediments?
  • Sprint Review. A ceremony at the end of each sprint where the team demonstrates the product to the owner and other stakeholders.
  • Sprint Retrospective. After the review, a retrospective takes place where the team and the Scrum Master analyze the sprint process and results. They identify what worked well and what improvements can be made in the future.

Artifacts

Scrum includes a number of artifacts used to store and share information about the product. Here are the main ones:

  • Product Backlog -- a list of all tasks and requirements for the product that need to be completed. This list consists of User Stories that follow a specific format and contain enough detail for the team to estimate the time needed to implement the functionality.
  • Sprint Backlog -- a selection of tasks from the Product Backlog that the team commits to completing during the sprint.
  • Increment -- the sum of all new features and changes that the development team successfully implemented during the given sprint. Each sprint has its own increment.